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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29796861">Trials and Tribulations</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joshua_flipping_Washington/pseuds/Joshua_flipping_Washington'>Joshua_flipping_Washington</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Last of Us (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ellie is her own worst enemy, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, I haven't written in forever so forgive me, I like to think that Ellie went back to Jackson to win them back</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:47:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,028</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29796861</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joshua_flipping_Washington/pseuds/Joshua_flipping_Washington</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ellie finds herself sitting defeated after letting Abby and Lev leave with their lives. She thinks back on the night she left the farm and her family behind in pursuit of revenge. Only to return home to nothing.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dina/Ellie (The Last of Us)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Trials and Tribulations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Okay! I apologize for how much of a mess this is, but it has been about a year since I've written any fanfiction. And I've never actually written for The Last of Us before. So, this was a first! I made it because I decided to participate in EllieDina week over on Tumblr! This was for day one and the theme was ache. I hope you all like it alright.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ellie sat defeated in the water, crimson blood from her injuries surrounded her and clouded the waters surface. Her pulse roared and she could her the sound screaming in her ears, as she held her injured hand close.</p><p>She had let Abby and the boy go, maybe they would at least have some chance of surviving. It's what Joel would have wanted, right? For her to stop fighting so hard, blinded by revenge and seeing nothing but red.</p><p>She got up slowly, hissing in pain as her injuries disapproved of the jostling and twisting. " Fuck… " She muttered as she slowly made her way over to the other boat. Ellie attempted to climb in, but more so she just tumbled in.</p><p>She grabbed her backpack and started to mend what wounds that she could, her mind flashing back to the night she'd left the farm house. The night that she had left home, had left her family behind- All in the name of revenge, of not being able to let go.</p><p>                                   《                           》</p><p>Ellie was crouched down in their small kitchen, shoving the last bit of supplies she'd need for her journey in her backpack. She closed her eyes slowly as she heard Dina come down the stairs, stopping at the threshold of the kitchen, staring right at her.</p><p>She speaks up slowly, her eyes lingering on the pack at Ellie's feet for a moment. Watching as Ellie slowly stands and turns towards her. " Hey. " Ellie answers her back in a tired, apprehensive tone. " Hey. "</p><p>Dina glances from Ellie, up towards the stairs and then back once more. " Man, it's been awhile since he's slept this long, huh? " She said, her mind pleading with her to do anything she can to get Ellie to come back upstairs with her.</p><p>Ellie gave a slow nod of her head as she answered. " He's had a day. " Dina could tell the gears were just churning in Ellie's head as she looked at her. " Yeah. He's fine. " She turned and gestured towards the stairs. " Come back to bed. " Dina said as she turned and started to move towards the stairs. " We can talk about it in the morning, okay? "</p><p>" I have to finish it. " Ellie spoke up and Dina froze for a moment,her heart dropping in her chest. She slowly turned around with an exhausted sigh, moving her hands to rest them on her hips. " You don't owe Tommy anything. "</p><p>Ellie let out a sigh of her own,she needed to finish this. " I don't sleep. I don't eat. I'm...I'm not like you, Dina. " She shook her head slowly, watching Dina.</p><p>Dina let her hands fall from her hips with an exasperated and shocked. " What? " Falling from her mouth before she continued to speak. " You think this is easy? " Dina slowly steps towards Ellie. " For you and for him, I deal with it. "</p><p>Ellie opened her mouth and began to speak, her gaze set on the ground. " I love you- " But is immediately cut off by Dina. Her voice is already thick with emotion. " Prove it. Stay. "</p><p>" I can't. " Ellie says as she raises her head, green eyes devoid of all the emotions she should have been feeling.</p><p>Dina throws her hands up in frustration, shaking her head slowly as she blinks. " So, what- I'm just supposed to sit here and wait for you. " She tosses her arms out to the side. " For God knows how long, just thinking your fucking dead the entire time? "</p><p>" I don't plan on dying. " Ellie sounded so sure of herself, so matter of fact. As if she was invincible. " Yeah, well neither did Jesse. Or Joel. " Dina said as the tears threatened to rise.</p><p>Ellie is silent for a moment, then she leans down and reaches for her pack. Dina rushes forward and places her hands on either side of Ellie's face. " Hey, stop- Hey. Come on. " She gently brushes her thumb over Ellie's cheek, her heart is hammering like mad in her chest. " We've got a family. She doesn't get to be more important than that."</p><p>As Dina stared at Ellie, looking at her face and into her eyes, she could tell as soon as she dropped her gaze that she wasn't getting through to her. " No… " She slowly lowered her hands and pulled away, a sob rising up from her chest as she turned away, tears streaming steadily down her face. " I'm not going to do this again. "</p><p>Ellie stood behind her in silence, knowing she should be fighting to stay. But she needed to end it, so she could eat and sleep again, so she could have a semi-normal life. " That's up to you. " She says before turning her back to Dina and walking out the door. The sound of her sobs the last thing she hears as she walks away.</p><p>                       《                                    》</p><p>Ellie had finished fixing up what little she could of her wounds, sighing heavily. Her heart aching at the memory of the night she'd left Dina and JJ. " I should have fucking stayed… Dina, JJ- I'm so sorry. " She sniffed, cradling her shoddy patched up hand. She knew that she needed to head back home, there was nothing left for her here.</p><p>She made the long and exhausting trip back to Wyoming, only stopping when she needed to. Hoping that Dina would give her a second chance, would allow her to show that she did care.</p><p>It took several weeks, 330 hours of traveling to reach the small fenced in farm house. Ellie stood at the gate, pulling her backpack tighter on her shoulders. She opened the latch and stepped inside, slowly walking up to the house through the tall grass.</p><p>As she stared at it, the house no longer looked open and inviting. It looked empty and cold, there didn't seem to be any signs of life at all. Ellie sighed heavily and walked up to the tree where she'd carved all of their names, smiling fondly as she rubbed her finger over the rough carvings. Her heart ached as she thought about her family, but she knew she had to get them back. She didn't come all this way for nothing.</p>
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